If we’ve learned anything about navigating a global pandemic the last two years (and still ongoing) it’s that being agile and ready to adapt in today’s unpredictable labor market is vital. Stay-at-home mandates in the first year of COVID-19 paved the way for flexibility in working from home and the ease of an easy commute to the office without changing clothes. It became acceptable to work in pajamas, sweatpants (now known as “athleisure”), or whatever was clean. People became accustomed to work life via Zoom or Teams meetings—and the accompanying technical issues.
Fast forward to 2023 and pandemic restrictions lessened, with companies implementing return-to-the-office mandates. While many people were ready to welcome the return to “pre-pandemic work,” a growing percentage of workers embrace the flexibility of working from home. Flexible working conditions allow employees to have the ideal balance between work and home life and are among the desired factors when looking for a new opportunity1. Additionally, the continued growth of the gig economy has afforded workers at various stages of their careers opportunities to find meaningful work that fits their lifestyle, desired salary, and skill level. An interesting statistic from Velocity Global notes that 36% of the total U.S. workforce—roughly 59 million Americans—engages in freelance work2.
How are you adapting to this new “work normal”? Unless you are planning to win the lottery and retire immediately, work is inevitable. But the future looks promising, especially with more options in finding meaningful, satisfying work that aligns with your career path. At TALENT SHIFT™ we believe in the importance of building a community of highly skilled professionals and bringing them together, creating an extensive network of connections that can highly benefit job candidates.
With the potential to explore new career paths, develop new skills, and expand your professional circle, the TALENT SHIFT team is ready help you navigate the world of gig work and identify a flexible career path. For additional interesting articles on navigating the evolving labor market, learning about new job trends, or learning how to manage your career path, click here.
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1 The HR Digest, May 26, 2022.
2 “44 Eye-Opening Gig Economy Statistics For 2022,” velocityglobal.com, May 10, 2022.
